[Serum interleukin-2 receptor in patients with Kawasaki disease]

Serum levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) were determined by a sandwich enzyme immunoassay in 42 patients during the acute phase and in 30 at the convalescent phase of Kawasaki disease, 5 with streptococcal infection, 13 with anaphylactoid purpura, 7 with various vasculitis and also in 16 healthy children. In addition, we analysed the population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 18 of 42 patients with KD using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Serum IL-2R levels in patients with KD were increased in the acute phase and return to the normal range in the convalescent phase. The increased serum IL-2R levels during the acute phase correlated with the percentage of peripheral blood helper/inducer T cells among the mononuclear cells. Serum IL-2R levels were increased in patients with measles who were examined as the infectious disease (viral) controls. However, serum IL-2R levels were increased neither in patients with anaphylactoid purpura nor in other diseases with vasculitis. These results suggest that immunological activation accompanied by the release of IL-2R from helper T cells in KD is similar measles virus infection and differs from vasculitis.